World Cup Fever in My Neighborhood

Anyone who lives in any town that is ethnically diverse would have to be living under a rock to not know that the World Cup is fully underway. In my neighborhood, I have observed first-hand the "euphoria mixed with madness" of these soccer fans. I knew right away when it took me half an hour to make the measly left turn onto my street after work...

This phenomena was very amusing to watch from my car so I just had to go out with my camera and get some footage of the mayhem later in the evening. My goal was also to gain some insight into this event. Here's what makes this story so interesting. It is currently Round ONE and there is a huge victory parade going on in my neighborhood because Italy has won their FIRST game. They have beaten Ghana, who is in their World Cup debut. In other words then, Ghana has NEVER taken part in the World Cup...yet a victory over them is cause for MAJOR celebration here. In fact, this celebration has been going on since the game ended, at what I can gather was about 4:30, and I'm told will continue into the night. I was also told by two young girls on the street that this will happen even if Italy loses. You gotta love that! (P.S. Just went out to my balcony at 10pm, still some horn-honking, but it has now died down considerably compared to earlier at 9pm)

There are cars draped with flags, people draped with flags, some of them with no shirts on and running down the street, everyone honking their horns and going up and down this one main street of my little neighborhood.

There's a small Honda civic that has made it's way around about 3 times from what I can tell. This car, I swear, has had about 20 kids piled in and ON it, from the hood to the trunk. This kid's sideview mirror apparently got knocked off, was dangling and threatening to come off completely. He then made all the other kids get off his car. Get this: He looked a little ticked about the situation. Ummmmm, yeah, when you've got 20 kids draped on your car, with flag poles coming out from the inside, left, right and center, some damage is bound to occur... Einstein. It's your fault for happily allowing it, so get over it. Besides, a little Duct Tape and you're good as new. They even make invisible Duct Tape now. Try it. I have, and it works great, especially in the summer.

There are crazy fans who stop any car that drives by with a flag from another country. And by "stop", I mean, they have a car, generally a very long pickup truck of some sort, waiting in one of the side parking lots pull out and block the intersection. They mock them, fake moon them - i.e. pants don't come down (what's with the fake moon?) and I also observed one guy who spilled beer on one of these cars. Now, you can argue both sides of this situation:

Take the man sitting beside me on the bench for example (both of us with camera in hand, i.e. observers, not par-takers), his opinion was: "They shoulda hava fun, but thatsa too much. Itsa okay to hava fun, but thatsa too much."

I say, "True, but anyone who drives through here should be smart enough to know within seconds what's going on and maybe they should TAKE DOWN THEIR FLAG temporarily. In my opinion, they're just asking for it." It would be the equivalent of going to a Philadelphia Eagles game, in Philly, with a Dallas Cowboys jersey and your face painted that ugly navy Blue and Silver. YOU JUST DON'T DO THAT...unless you wish to provoke some trouble (in which case, your wish will be granted...especially in Philly or apparently, any World Cup Soccer celebration too!!) - P.S. I'm an Eagles Fan.

At about 8:45pm two cops drive down the street, no siren, but they have their lights flashing. I think, okay, maybe the horn-honking will stop. NO, it continues. Apparently, the cops were there only to observe the mayhem too.

To close off, here's one of the very few things I like about living in Toronto. There is a lot of ethnic pride here. And here's what I love about living in my particular neighborhood in Toronto: These people are crazy, yes, they're a bit over the top, yes, but who doesn't love their roots? I love to watch that kind of pride. Although I am not Italian, I can identify with the sheer joy of being proud of one's heritage. I am proud of mine. And if we ever even make it to the World Cup, I will be buying a flag, draping it on my car and honking my horn too (just not in this neighborhood, of course)!! I might not do it in ROUND ONE...but nonetheless, I would do it. Because why not be happy about something regarding the country where you came from? - most of us came from somewhere, right? ... and also, it's fun.

The other thing I love is that my neighborhood is quaint. And it's not quaint because it's trying to be quaint. It just is. There's a donut shop across the street, called "The Donut Shop" (how creative), and it has a liquor license. I think their main sales come from the sale of beer, not donuts, but whatever. That's what makes it interesting. The sidewalks are made of brick, and they are uneven, the Drug store is not a brand name drug store. There is a small barber shop down the street, where little old men hang out in the front. The thing is a shack, but as you drive by, you can tell that this is a place where people congregate and pass their days and tell stories. The barber may likely not make a lot of money, but he has made a life that he enjoys (and really, what's more important?)

There are so many other things I like about the neighborhood where I live, but don't let me bore you with that. At the end of the day, I think that no matter where you live, what your life entails, what trauma you went through today, last year, or anytime in the past, there are always things that you can look at and say, "Wow, that part about it was great, wasn't it?"

Like the Italy soccer fans who will celebrate........ even when they lose.

These Drivers Drive Me Crazy

Okay, I confess, I am an impatient, "get the 'H-E-Double Hockey Sticks' out my way", kind of driver. I can't help it. I think that a car is a way to get from point A to point B...fast. I'm not into "Sunday Driving" and to me, the speed limit is just a suggestion. I think good drivers should be allowed to go at whatever speeds they want and others should be legally required to move out of their way. Like they would for vehicles such as ambulances, fire trucks and police cars. Here are some pet peeves I have about the typical bad drivers you see around.

1) People who stroll along slowly on the highway on-ramp. Ummm...YOU HAVE JUST ENTERED A HIGHWAY, you might want to increase your speed so you can keep up the pace with the rest of the drivers...come on, join the living. I've actually seen these people slow down and come to a complete stop on the shoulder because they can't get in. Gee, I wonder why?

2) Slow drivers, in general. Do these people not have anywhere to go? Why are they on the road? Here's a suggestion for you: There are other structures built for you to get places. They are called sidewalks. Please use them. You seem to have the time on your hands and could probably use the exercise anways.

3) People who take way too long to make a right-hand turn...I have some much needed news for these people. Guess what? Newsflash, Einstein, you DO NOT have to come to a full stop to pull off this maneuver. Get a move on and stop delaying moving traffic.

4) People who drive on the shoulder in heavy traffic. What jerks these people are. What makes them think that they have the right to bypass everyone else and expect to be let in to the regular lane down the line. I love when I see them pulled over by a cop for this infraction. Yeah, thought you were being smart, eh? But don't worry, they'll invent the hovercraft very soon and then you won't have anything to worry about.

5) People who don't move right away when the short-running left turn arrow becomes green. Buddy, move it, there's a whole line of us wanting to get through this turn of the light. I can tell that you didn't move fast enough because you are not close enough to the car that turned before you. These people are the worst. Especially because if you miss this light, it adds at least 10-15 minutes to your commute.

6) People who stroll along in the passing lane going the speed limit or below...ummmm, those other lanes are for you. USE THEM. Or use the sidewalks.

7) People on the highway in ANY lane who cannot seem to rev up enough to even pass slow moving trucks. These people are the reason the rest of us have to deal with trucks in the middle and sometimes even the left lanes. It's not the truck drivers' fault. So next time you feel like cursing at the truck driver, remember, they are probably in that lane because they were forced there by one of these slow-pokes.

8) The stupid person who stops at yellow lights. Especially the one who is going straight in the right lane and you are right behind them and all you wanted was to make that right turn!! Now you have to wait for the light to turn green because of this guy!!! Ugh.

9) People who brake for no reason. My theory is that these people are the single, solitary largest reason that traffic exists on our roads and highways.

10) Vans and SUVs in the fast lane on a busy highway. I'll spend about a minute following behind thinking, there are probably a line of cars in front only to find out (when I creep into the right lane to see what's there - as all people like me do) that there are wide open spaces in front of this idiot...and plenty of room for him to move over.

11) I think I have alluded to this on another post: BMW drivers or their equivalent (Any expensive car purchased for the ego-factor). They seem to be so afraid to crash their car that they are EXTRA careful. Here's a question, why buy an expensive high performance vehicle if you are not going to go fast in it??? Why don't you just walk. And maybe wear a picture of the car in a locket around your neck or on a t-shirt. That way people will know you own the car so you can still get your ego-boost. At the same time, the rest of us won't have to suffer from your pretentious, slow, Sunday driving every day of the week.

12) We have all run into these next set of people: the ones who wait at a corner, see you coming and pull out to turn as you are speeding down the road. Everytime you see one of these threats sitting on the corner, kind of creeping up, you hope and pray that they are not daft enough to get into the same lane you're barelling down in. 9 times out of ten, they do. And of course they don't bother to speed up. No...why do that?? It's better if you are forced to slow down or literally have to come to a complete stop for them. Or maybe they are tempting fate...I really hate these people. It's one thing to come out onto the road, but don't get into the lane with the fastest moving car approaching...get in the other lane...right away, or wait until the road is clear!!!!!!!!! Or like I said in other peeves above. Just walk. You don't deserve the privelege of a driver's license.